BYU football: Independence hasn't been a factor in recruiting

Comments

You do
realize that Washinton State has been to the Rose Bowl twice since BYU has done
anything of relevance on a national scale.

But, keep the faith and
never let the facts get in the way of the spin.

cynicAppleton, WI

Feb. 2, 2011 10:19 a.m.

Chuckle. Chuckle. Another article about BYU with comments dominated by
utelovers. Some of you kids need to move out of your mom's basement, or finish
your lunch and head back to middle school.

Face it: BYU has always
recruited from a different pool than anyone else. They have never had top-ranked
recruiting classes. Independence will not change this.

If you think
an independent BYU will have recruiting difficulties, imagine what a
cellar-dwelling 12-PAC program will face. Have you seen Washington State's
recruiting stats?

byu_num_1Holladay, UT

Feb. 2, 2011 12:37 a.m.

BYU has had at least 2 four-star commits from scout for the past 6 years, some
years more than 2 players. This is the first year in the Bronco era that
BYU has zero 4-star commits, and no 4-star players were ever interested in
BYU.

This independence thing could be a huge problem.

OsgrathProvo, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 11:15 p.m.

Howard S., we get it. You hate BYU, all it stands for and all who are associated
with it. That's cool. You are guaranteed the right to love or hate as you
desire.

On the other hand, as anybody with expertise in psychology
knows, hatred cankers the soul. I think if you take a live and let live attitude
toward BYU, you will find your life to be much more fulfilling and meaningful.
After all, all your antipathy is not going to bring the university or its
football program down. I happen to love my Cougars, and nothing you can say will
change that or even make me feel badly. I also love to see the Utes win - they
represent my state and I have good friends who belong to the Crimson Club.

I just don't understand the hatred that you, Chris B. and Hedgehog
express on a continual basis. It seems like it would be a burden.

Howard S.Taylorsville, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 6:33 p.m.

Re: Bluto

Never let the facts get in the way of the spin.

Repeat it often enough and you might begin to believe it yourself.

There is a story about wrestling with a pig for which I have a new found
appreciation.

BlutoSandy, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 6:17 p.m.

@

Even Utah is not getting pac-10 money.

Again, for the
umpteenth time, no TV money next year for U. 5 years before you are a full
partner.

And only if the new TV deal exceeds 170 million.

By then your expansion plans and momentum will have been stifled.

Snag...BYU and Texas have created a new model, USC, Stanford, Washington,
Oregon et al, will not be sharing fully with Utah and Washington State when the
dust settles.

Unlike Utah, BYU has contracts.

ESPN must
televise min of 4 BYU games, have the rights up to 8

Already 4 games
are scheduled, most likely 4-6.

Remember BYU, before the cruddy mtn.
network deal, was on ESPN 5-6 times a year.

BYU can monetize the same
day ESPN broadcasts and the BYU-TV broadcasts as well.

On Sept. 1st ESPN and BYU announced an eight year deal to
broadcast a minimum of three games per year.

No financial
arrangements were disclosed.

On Sept. 2nd Dick Harmon estimated the
per game payout to range from $700,000 to $1.2 million.

So, if you
take the leap that Dick's estimate is correct, ESPN has a commitment of $2.1 to
$3.6 million to BYU.

Will BYU actually get a bigger payout than that
from ESPN? Probably.

But the truth is no one knows. And if they do
know they aren't posting it on the DN comment board.

And beyond that,
to suggest that BYU is getting PAC12 money simply cannot be supported by the
known facts.

However, what can be supported by the facts is that Utah
will get PAC12 money.

GACougarAtlanta, GA

Feb. 1, 2011 5:49 p.m.

BYU has a contract with the "World Wide Leader in Sports" and EVERY
GAME will be broadcast nationwide for the whole nation to see and the Yoots have
regional broadcasts for how many games each season? I live in Atlanta. They
never show the bottom dwellers of the PAC back here. The Yoots glory years are
behind them. Both of them!!!

You and Washington State will surely
enjoy being in a BCS conference. But cheer up, Colorado will enjoy keeping you
company.

You only won the MIGHTY MWC once under Kyle's leadership.
Yep, sounds like you will surely dominate the 12-PAC.

What a joke.

TJEagle Mountain, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 4:14 p.m.

Fan29, Got news for you; BYU did win many in-state recruits that Utah offered.
Last year BYU had a higher ranked class than Utah. Utah probably will be rated
slightly higher than BYU this year but that is skewed by the fact that BYU was
not after offensive (talent) positions and that they have a bunch of good
athletes coming off missions. I do think that playing an independent schedule
against Notre Dame, Texas, Pac 12 teams, and other big time programs from
several BCS conferences will be at least as big a recruiting advantage as
playing in the PAC 12. Whichever team has the best season will have an immediate
advantage. Whichever team has the best long-term success will have another
advantage. The biggest advantage will be to BYU because certain players, mostly
LDS will not settle for less. That is why BYU will always have the advantage. It
is a matter of class and honor. Something the no-class-crew will never
understand.

re: howard s. When ESPN announced the contract they said 8 games on
ESPN, it was then estimated that each game would get 1.2-2 million per game. In
broadcast alone, BYU will get what Utah will get for the entire year after they
share with the rest of the PAC 12. We still need to add in 4 more games or 5.
Plus BYU will keep ALL profits from the gate and all money from a bowl game.

Did you think BYU wouldn't do this if they didn't think they could make
money? So Bluto was wrong, BYU's money will equal or exceed PAC 12 money paid to
each team.

MacNastyRexburg, ID

Feb. 1, 2011 2:43 p.m.

Re: Howard S.

Speaking of money Howard, your unemployment check is
probably ready for pick up. Don't forget to vacuum your momma's basement before
you leave to get it.

Oh by the way, weren't you the Ute fan that
insanely insisted that SDSU had a bad football team? Yeah, I think so.

Howard S.Taylorsville, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 2:24 p.m.

Re: Bluto

...money will equal PAC 12 money?

You don't know
how much money BYU gets from ESPN.

If you do, state your source and
prove me wrong.

BlutoSandy, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 1:52 p.m.

No

The ESPN deal is for ABC, ESPN or ESPN-2...All on the Basic
Tier

BYU-TV is also on Basic Tier.

No upgrade necessary at
all.

If you think, telling a recruit "That every single game in
Football and Basketball will be carried on National TV", and that, that
will not enhance recruiting, then you are simply naive.

And as Utah's
and some other schools recruits see that they will be on just a few games
Regionally and most likely never on the National broadcasts that this won't make
any difference either, again, naive.

BYU. I believe is in a very
desireable position for Exposure and Access. The $, not their primary
motivation, will also equal Pac-12 money.

Alex 1Tucson, AZ

Feb. 1, 2011 1:46 p.m.

Big J:"...BYUs run at independence will be short lived.

Have fun. GO Utes! "

Why are you all of a sudden so concerned
with BYU's well being? I can assure you we will have fun and we are looking
forward to it.

Look, I wish the best to Utah in the PAC 12. I
don't begrudge Utah for going for the PAC 12 offer, even though I am happy that
BYU is going independent. The PAC 12 works for Utah, just not for us.

Big JBountiful, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 1:23 p.m.

The independence model does not work. That is why there are only three, soon to
be four, D1 schools that are independent. 20 years ago there were 20+.

Who are they, Notre Dame, Army and Navy and soon, BYU. Army and Navy make it
thanks to the tax payers. Notre Dame has the real TV deal CBS, BCS access, large
fan base (68+ million Catholics in the US)and tradition.

BYU has none
of those. BYUs run at independence will be short lived.

Have fun. GO
Utes!

Howard S.Taylorsville, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 1:05 p.m.

If independence was everything the BYU spin machine would have us believe,
recruits should be flocking to BYU for the opportunity to play on ESPN's
weeknight schedule as a non-AQ independent.

BluCougProvo, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 11:58 a.m.

@ fan29

Oh but they will, who wants to play for a cellar dweller team
in the pac 12 especially the utes. And who wants to play for a team subject to
blackouts or very limited regional coverage?

Recruits want to play
for exposure, schedule and utes have to rely on Pac to give them TV rights where
as BYU will be on the ESPN family network or their own TV networks, LIVE week in
week out and replays throughout the week.

BYU will be just fine,
especially when Texas and USC and other large schools declare their independence
following the BYU model. In the end schools like utah will be hurting.

mreamParker, CO

Feb. 1, 2011 11:40 a.m.

Thanks for the input, "Big J" and other utes. You are, of course,
welcome to your opinions, but we don't actually care what you think.

Good luck in the PAC 12

crowntown1Corona, CA

Feb. 1, 2011 10:23 a.m.

Your gonna have to win to keep that TV deal.

Big JBountiful, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 10:13 a.m.

Going independent is not a selling tool for any recruit. No matter how hard you
try to "spin" it.

It is a bad deal. Front end loaded tough
schedule, with multiple losses with a weak ending schedule of boring games is
not what recruits want. Add to that no conference championship and no access to
BCS games.

Independence will only hurt BYU. It will end up ruining
the Football program like it has, already, for all their other programs.

Go Utes!

CougFaninTXFrisco, TX

Feb. 1, 2011 9:42 a.m.

Recruiting is not the science it's made out to be. Jimmer only got offers from
two D1 teams and now he's in the conversation for player of the year. Texas has
had a Top 5 recruiting class for the past five years and couldn't produce a
winning record in 2010.

SI ranks Utah's 2011 recruiting class as 50
and BYU as 56 (very close). But last year, BYU's recruiting class was much
higher than Utah's. Also, the recruiting services don't take into account the
RM's. If Hine's and Sorensen's return were accounted for, BYU would easily be
in the Top 50.

For those who make a mockery of BYU playing the WAC,
let me remind you it is only for two years while they work out the Indy
schedule. Even with the WAC; BYU will play Ole Miss, Texas, Oregon State, Utah,
Hawaii and TCU (a game that is about to be added) in 2011. Are Utah's Top 6
games any more difficult? I don't think so!

dhsalumSaint George, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 9:25 a.m.

fan32-- As far as I know, ESPNU is on the basic package for directv and dish..
but I may be wrong.

fan29Orem, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 9:22 a.m.

This comment by Bronco -"I don't think that we will lose, or gain, a single
recruit because of conference affiliation. " If he and BYU believe this
statement, they are in Never, Never Land. If they think a in-state young man
will take a Independent School over a Pac 12 they are dreaming. Maybe they got
through this year, but it will catch up with them within a couple of years.

AFCougColorado Springs, CO

Feb. 1, 2011 9:21 a.m.

Having lived all over the world I have never been anywhere there are not Cougar
fans, to include Iraq and Afghanistan. It is great they are coming back to ESPN
so those deployed Cougar fans can again watch them while overseas.

Independence will be a great thing for the Cougs. I usually have to hear from
SEC or Big 12 fans about how weak a conferance the MWC is. Without a conferance
affiliation that will no longer be the case. Granted their schedule is not the
greatest next year but I suspect that will only get better. Still they are
playing Ole Miss, Texas, Utah, Oregon St, and according to ESPN possibly TCU in
November. That is 5 teams from a major conferance. Sure it has some gimme
games but so does everyone else in the country. Name any of the quality schools
BSU beat last year or the year before that. Formula worked pretty good (and
will continue to work good in the future in a weak MWC) for BSU all those years.

fan32St. George, Utah

Feb. 1, 2011 8:33 a.m.

Is ESPNU or some of the other espn stations not upgrade packages. I think they
are. So aren't BYU fans going to have to upgrade anyway to see half the games?
Could someone in the know please respond to this?

IDCBoise, ID

Feb. 1, 2011 8:12 a.m.

This will be interesting. Does it make a difference to a recruit that their
parents and friends will be able to see ever single game they play in regardless
of where they live in the country without upgrading their cable package?

hedgehogAnn Arbor, MI

Feb. 1, 2011 7:38 a.m.

Brokno -"I don't think that we will lose, or gain, a single recruit because
of conference affiliation. "

Hence the unranked recuriting class
of 2010.

Nothing will change. BYU will beat up on Idaho St. and lose
(in HD!) to elite programs.

TJEagle Mountain, UT

Feb. 1, 2011 12:54 a.m.

Live hard said; you'll never see a BCS bowl game and playing the mighty weak WAC
left overs will get you no where close to the BIG BUCKS!!! Why is this? It is
the same thing Utah, BSU, Hawaii and TCU did to get to a BCS game. BYU did it in
1984 and won a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. You can see the trophy in Provo.She
is wrong on nearly all BYU predictions and her obsessed and jealousy inspired
wishing will not come true. BYU will continue to grown nationally and will be
one of the big boys of College football. National relevance, national prominence
and nationwide exposure playing many of the top teams in the nation every year.
Strength of schedule will be higher than the school you pretend to be a fan of
every year. So enjoy your regional exposure and your big bucks...eventually. BYU
will start collecting in about 7 months. You say that the two teams are headed
in different directions. For your teams sake, I hope that isn't true. BYU is
headed up with a very bright future.